Vehicle fender



June 26, 1945. B. J. CRAIG VEHICLE FENDER Original Filed Feb. 12 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l June 26, 1945. B. J. CRAIG 2,379,341

VEHICLE FENDER Original Filed Feb. 12, 1940 3' Sheets-Sheeit- 2 June 26, 1945.

Bxq. CRAIG VEHICLE FENDER 3 Sfieets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Feb. 1;, 1940 Patented June 26, 1945 VEHIGLEFENDER- Burnie J. Craig, Los Angeles, Calif.

Original application- February 12,1940; SeriarNo.

1944, Serial No. 531,454

7 Claims. (01. 230 453) This invention reiatestoavehicle fender. The-general object of the invention is" to provide an improved fender construction'which is particularly adapted for use on automotive vehicles;

A -mo-re specificobject of the invention is to provide an automotive vehicle including a fender which-serves-as a closure 'for awheel housing. An additional object of the invention is td-provide' an automotive vehicle body including a fender with a novel concealed bu-m pertherein.-

' A further object of the invention is=toprovide an automotive vehicle including novelmeans for affording access to the vehicle headlight;-

Other objects and adV-ant'ag'e'sof this invention wi1l'be apparent from the-following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view showing-an automotive vehicle embodying the features ofthis invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken online 22, Fig. 1";

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, through the hood member; I

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section-takenonlinel -"4, Fig. 3; with parts broken away;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on line 5-5, Fig. 4;

Fig. dis a side elevation showing the front fender and hood with parts broken away;

Fig. '7' is a fragmentary section taken on 1-1, Fig. 6; I

Fig. 8' is a; fragmentary side elevation showing the front fender lifted and with parts broken away;

Fig. I 9-9; Fig. 6 and Fig, 10 is a fragmentary Ill-l0, Fig. 6.

This application is a Serial No. 318,397, filed Patent No. 2,349,940, issued May 30, 1944.

Referring to the drawings by reference char acters, the invention is shown as embodied in an automotive vehicle which is indicated generally at l. Thevehicle includes wheels 2 which in the disclosure are mounted at the front on line section taken on line division of application February 12, 1940, now

central, sectional view' 9 is a fragmentary section taken on-line steerable wheel mountings 3 shown as of the knee action type and which support a body 4. The wheel mountings in front are disclosed as steered by mechanism 6 which is suitably connected to the wheels and is actuated by means of the usual steering wheel.

As shown the body includes a lower frame 'having a side rail 20-:

Divided and this application April 17 member i3- which supports front door and windshield pillars Hi. The body includes atop 68 As shown the frame includes members; IB-each member 22' secured thereto. The members, 2 2 are shown as braced by diagonal members.

Each rail 20 further includes outwardly directe ed hangers 26which support outer rail members 29' which latter in turn support the pillars l4 previously mentioned. The body includes doors 40 which when open may moveto the position shown in dotted'linesin Fig. l.

The front hood 50 includes a bottom- 93' which is mounted on the frame and also in-' oludes an upwardly extending partition 94 which is surmounted by atop portion 95 having a dash member SBthereon which may include the usual instruments 96'. The partition M includes a door 94 to provide access to the storage'space which is provided by the hood,

The hood includes a cowling disclosure extends downwardly and outwardly with the lower portion thereof secured to a top 98 of a wheel housing which includes a vertically disposed panel 99" connected to the bottom portion 93. The bottom portion 93 includes a step portion 109' which extends across the hood. The bottom 93 forms a support for a spare tire IBI which may be secured in place by suitable brack- H33 in thehood forms the ets I02. A partition bottom of a storage compartment;

The hood is closed by a closure member Hi4- which is mounted on a concealed hinge I05. A pivoted arm Hi6 mounted on the top 98 of the wheel housing engages the hood when the latter is raised to thereby hold it in this position.

Eachwheel-housing is closed by a fender I01 which is pivoted on a' shaft "38 mounted on brackets 10!! secured to a support ,Hll mounted on the front end of the frame. Each fender includes a top portion 110., a front portion lfl'lb and a side portion I010. The side portion is connected to the top portion by an arcuate portion lllld and the front portion is connected to the top portion as at Mile. The entire upper edge portion I011 is directed towards the cowling 91 and the entire inner edge is curved as at 101g. The lower edge of each fender is straight and horizontally arranged as at lfllh. Each fender has a crown Hi.

The axes of the shafts Hill are horizontal and are at the leading edge of the fenders so that the fenders may be raised to the position shown in Fig. 8. The center of gravity of each fender when in fully raised position is in advance of Each rail zll has a-front portion a which in the the pivot so that the fender will remain in the fully raised position. The fenders shown include plane outer faces HI. The fenders I01 engage cushion strips H2 on the cowling 91. Catch members H3 including hand operated release members H3 accessible from within the passenger compartment serve to hold the fenders in closed position so that unauthorized removal of the tires or headlights (to be later described) is prevented.

The hood closure I04 includes a lower flange I l 4 which when the hood is closed (see Fig. 3) engages a cushion member H5 on the step portion I00 of the hood bottom. The hood is shown as held in closed position by hand released fastening means H6. The support I09 supports a standard headlight H! which includes a lens H8. The fender includes an aperture H9 (see Fig. 6') which receives the lens H8. It will be seen that when the fender I0! is raised (see Fig. 8), access may be had to the adjacent front wheel and the adjacent headlight.

The front fenders I 01 include crash bumpers |3| which are secured to the inside thereof. The bumpers l3l terminate forwardly adjacent the supports I I0 and rearwardly they terminate adjacent the pillars l4. Impact on a bumper I3! is transmitted to the frame through the support H0 and through a corner memberl32 secured to the hanger 26.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an automotive vehicle body having a front portion, a headlight mounted adjacent the front portion of the body, a fender on said body, the fender including a portion disposed about the headlight and having an aperture disposed in alignment with the headlight lens, and means to pivotally mount the fender for movement away from the headlight to allow access to the headlight, the axis of the pivotal mounting being lower than the axis of the headlight.

2. An automotive vehicle including a frontend portion having a wheel housing at each side disposed at least partially therein, a fender at each side of the vehicle, means adjacent to the leading -57 end of each fender to pivotally mount the fender on the end portion, the axes of the pivotal mountings extending substantially horizontally, each fender including a portion forming an outer wall for the adjacent wheel housing, each fender when shifted about its pivots to one position allowing access to a wheel in the adjacent housing.

3. An automotive vehicle body having a front end portion and having a Wheel housing at each side disposed at least partially a fender for each side, each fender including a top, side, and front portion and each fender forming a closure for the adjacent wheel housing, and

in the end por 5 all) means at the leading end of each tender to pivotally mount the fender for movement to a location to allow access to a wheel in the adjacent housing, the axes of the pivots being substantially horizontally disposed.

4. An automotive vehicle including a frame member and a body having a front end portion and having a wheel housing at each side disposed at least partially in the end portion, a fender support means at each side of the frame, a fender on each side of the body, means to pivotally mount each fender on the support means, the pivotal support means being disposed at the leading end of the fender, the axis of each pivot extending substantially horizontally, each fender including a portion which, when the fender is closed, forms a closure for the adjacent wheel housing, each fender when shifted allowing access to a wheel in the adjacent housing, and means to secure each fender in close position.

5. An automatic vehicle having a support thereon, a headlight, a fender, means to pivotally mount the fender on the support, the axis of the pivotal mounting being adjacent to the leadin edge of the-fender, the fender including an aperture disposed in alignment with the headlight, the fender mounting permitting its movement away from the headlight to allow access to the headlight.

6'. In an automotive vehicle including a front end portion, a headlight, means to mount the headlight on the front end portion, a fender, and means to pivotally support the fender on the front end portion, the axis of the pivotal mounting being located in the forward portion of the front end portion and in the leading portion of the fender, the fender including. an aperture disposed in alignment with the headlight, the fender being movable away from the headlight to allow access to the headlight.

7. An automatic vehicle construction including a frame, a body on the frame, said body having a wheel housing disposed at least partially in one end portion thereof, a fender, means on th frame to pivotally support the fender, said fender including a portion, which, when in normal position, forms an outer wall for the wheel housing to obstruct removal of the wheel, a headlight, means to support the headlight on the frame, the fender, in normal position being disposed about the headlight and including a portion obstructing removal of the headlight, the fender having an aperture in alignment with the path of light from the headlight lens, and latch means to normally prevent movement of the fender from its normal position.

BURNIE J. CRAIG. 

